How VR and Wearables Are Shaping the Future of the Healthcare Industry

The past decade has witnessed a seismic shift in healthcare, driven by the integration of several advanced technologies. Once confined to traditional doctor-patient interactions, the healthcare landscape has evolved dramatically with the advent of advanced digital tools. Among these, wearable technology and virtual reality (VR) stand out as transformative forces, reshaping both patient care and medical practices.

Wearables in healthcare have advanced beyond simple fitness tracking to offer sophisticated health monitoring. Devices now measure vital signs, track chronic conditions, and provide real-time data that empowers patients to take charge of their health. Concurrently, VR is revolutionizing medical training and patient care through immersive simulations and therapeutic interventions.

These technologies not only enhance the precision and efficiency of healthcare delivery but also shift more control into the hands of patients, driving a more proactive approach to health management. As healthcare continues to embrace these innovations, the potential for improved outcomes and personalized care expands exponentially.

In this blog, we will study the growing influence, benefits, and applications of wearables and virtual reality in healthcare. However, let us first begin by examining the current market demand and growth trends for these technologies in the healthcare sector.

Assessing the Demand and Market Growth for VR and Wearables

Although the impact of VR and wearable technology in healthcare is not new, it exploded exponentially with the COVID-19 pandemic. VR in healthcare has fostered a better connection between patients and professionals and personalized medical care with very limited physical contact. 

Both technologies significantly impact the lives of patients and doctors by seamlessly integrating with commonly used medical devices and healthcare apps.

With a variety of service settings, including physical management, hospital management, personalized care, etc, the market size of Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality in healthcare is rapidly growing. According to Grand View Research, the AR & VR in healthcare market is expected to reach $11.3 billion by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 16.8% from 2024- 2030.   

Several factors, such as technological advancements and the digitalization of healthcare, favorable government initiatives, increased healthcare expenditure, and the growing use of AR and VR in surgical procedures and medical training, influence the market. These factors are expected to drive the growth and widespread adoption of AR and VR technologies in the healthcare industry. By improving patient outcomes and enhancing the capabilities of medical professionals, AR and VR are poised to revolutionize the way healthcare services are delivered and experienced.

Now, coming to wearables, the technology is a network of patient-worn smart devices that transmit personal health data in real time to enable patient condition monitoring. With the increasing demand for Fitbit, Bluetooth-enabled smartwatches, sensors, skin patches, and other medical devices, the wearable medical device market size is estimated to reach $195.57 billion by the year 2027 at an astounding CAGR of 26.4% from 2020-2027. 

The primary drivers that impact its market expansion are life-associated diseases such as hypertension and diabetes, patients’ control over health conditions, and the rising need for smartapps for watches and devices. 

In addition to virtual reality for healthcare, the concept of mixed reality has cemented its base well in medical science through its various advantages and uses.

While these technologies have an extensive impact on healthcare, it is crucial to understand the applications and benefits healthcare businesses acquire from their use. Let’s discuss this in detail. 

The Surge of VR and Wearables in Medical Innovation

The integration of wearable technology with virtual reality in healthcare combines continuous health monitoring through immersive technologies. Wearables, now providing critical data like glucose levels, heart rate, and sleep patterns, offer a comprehensive view of a patient’s health, leading to more proactive and personalized care.

Currently, the top healthcare giants are now at the forefront of this transformation. For instance, Zeta Surgical has gained FDA approval for its mixed reality cranial-navigation system, which enhances surgical precision with real-time, millimeter-accurate guidance, and eliminates the need for general anesthesia and rigid skull immobilization.

In the VR space, Transfr Inc. has demonstrated through rigorous studies that their VR-based training solutions significantly improve skill acquisition and assessment.

In the wearable sector, researchers at ETRI have set new international standards for accuracy in health-monitoring devices, focusing on metrics like step counting and heart rate. 

Again, Samsung Electronics has expanded its offerings with the Galaxy Ring, Galaxy Watch7, and Galaxy Watch Ultra, leveraging Galaxy AI to provide comprehensive wellness experiences and personalized health insights. These advancements and the merger of virtual reality and healthcare highlight its impact in advancing medical practice, training, and personal health management.

Applications and Benefits of VR in Healthcare Business

AR and VR technologies are revolutionizing healthcare by enhancing medical training through immersive simulations and improving patient outcomes with real-time data visualization. By utilizing VR in healthcare, surgeons can easily practice complex procedures in virtual environments and provide innovative pain management and rehabilitation therapies, driving both precision and efficiency in patient care.

Practicing Virtual Medical Processes

Doctors and nurses generally used to practice medical processes (all – something as small as putting on anesthesia or something as complex as leg amputation) on mannequins and bodies from their morgue room.

Times have changed. With VR-based mobile apps like Touch Surgery, practitioners now practice the processes on Virtual Humans, giving them a chance to know what exactly goes inside a body when a process is initiated without even getting inside a body. This form of virtual simulation also helps increase precision and reduce complications and trauma.

Lowering PTSD Occurrences

Virtual reality in healthcare has come as a major relief technology for people who suffer from anxiety and patients with severe cases of PTSD. By either taking them to the point of war to help them move on or by introducing them to a peaceful virtual world, VR has been a boon in lowering stress levels of patients.

There are a number of mobile apps in both Android and Apple stores, such as Relax VR, Zen Zone, and Monarch VR, etc., that are developed on the foundation of Virtual Reality, which targets PTSD patients or those who suffer from other forms of anxiety disorders. Together, virtual reality and healthcare are revolutionizing mental health treatment by offering immersive, interactive therapies that can help patients manage their symptoms more effectively.

Managing Dental Data

Through dental practice management software experts utilize a 3D intraoral scanning…..(IOS) system to generate precise dental projections, aiding in the planning of surgical interventions and improving accuracy. VR technology complements this by supporting handheld devices that deliver spatial data in a portable format, enhancing diagnostic capabilities and streamlining workflow. 

These advancements not only facilitate better visualization and planning but also contribute to more efficient and effective dental treatments, ultimately leading to improved patient outcomes and higher precision in customized dental care.

Exploring Neuro and Spatial 

The combination of AR and VR in healthcare has led to groundbreaking advancements. For example, AR technology can project a virtual brain onto a patient’s head, providing a detailed, interactive representation of neurological conditions. Meanwhile, virtual reality for healthcare enables patients to engage with these projections in real-time, offering a clearer understanding of their treatment plans and procedures. 

This immersive experience not only enhances patient education and involvement but also assists clinicians in visualizing complex spatial relationships, leading to more accurate diagnoses and tailored treatments. The fusion of these technologies advances physician’s ability to understand and address neurological issues effectively.

Handling Pain Management

Doctors are increasingly leveraging VR-based mobile apps to help patients manage pain during medical procedures. These apps immerse patients in calming virtual environments, providing a distraction that alleviates discomfort. By reducing the reliance on painkillers, these VR solutions not only enhance patient comfort but also mitigate the risks associated with heavy medication use, promoting overall health and recovery. 

Additionally, virtual reality’s role in healthcare extends to mental health, where it supports therapy for conditions such as anxiety and PTSD, demonstrating its broad potential to improve patient outcomes across various medical contexts.

Improving Medical Education

Virtual reality in healthcare is revolutionizing medicine training because it offers interactive and immersive experiences. Without employing actual patients, medical students can practice difficult procedures in a risk-free setting and obtain practical experience. This training approach enhances their abilities and self-assurance before handling real-life problems. 

It also enables instant feedback, repeated practice of techniques, and the capacity to model difficult or uncommon scenarios that aren’t usually seen in a typical training environment. AR and VR are raising the bar for medical education by bridging the gap between academic understanding and real-world application.

Also Read: Exploring Metaverse in Healthcare: An Ultimate Guide

Planning and Simulating Surgeries

Through the use of VR in healthcare, surgeons can precisely plan and simulate surgery. By using 3D visualization of the patient’s anatomy, surgeons can perform challenging and complex treatments, detect potential complications, and devise the best surgical plans. This results in reduced operating hours and better surgical results. 

Furthermore, AR and VR also improve teamwork by enabling several surgeons to discuss and plan surgeries in a virtual setting. By offering visual descriptions of the surgical procedure, these technologies also facilitate improved patient education, reduce patient anxiety, and streamline consent procedures.

Providing Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation

One of the most crucial benefits of virtual reality in healthcare is being utilized to develop personalized rehabilitation plans for people recovering from operations or accidents. Patients can be encouraged to do exercises, have real-time feedback, and measure their progress in virtual surroundings. Enhancing patient participation in treatment planning and hastening recovery are two benefits of this individualized approach. 

Managing Long-Term Illnesses

VR apps assist in managing long-term health issues like diabetes, high blood pressure, and persistent discomfort. Virtual reality experiences that encourage mindfulness, relaxation, and healthy habits can help patients manage their diseases more effectively and improve their general well-being. For patients with chronic diseases, this all-encompassing approach improves quality of life by supporting mental and physical health.

At Appinventiv, our team has developed DiabeticU, a comprehensive diabetes management app that integrates effortlessly with wearable devices. This app provides personalized meal plans, exercise routines, medication tracking, and blood sugar monitoring. 

By combining real-time data with tailored health insights, DiabeticU has transformed diabetes management, enhancing user health outcomes and significantly improving overall quality of life.

VR for healthcare can also replicate different situations, allowing patients to practice everyday tasks and improve their functional abilities. In real-time, therapists can also modify the exercises’ difficulty in response to the patient’s progress. This adaptability provides better results, guaranteeing that the rehabilitation process is seamless.

Also, VR in healthcare can offer comprehensive instruction on lifestyle adjustments and self-care methods, enabling patients to actively control their own health management. Frequent VR use can also aid in tracking symptoms and improvement, enabling prompt modifications to therapy regimens. 

While these are just a few applications of virtual reality healthcare, there are a number of other ways the medicine industry is transforming by introducing everyone involved to a safe, practice-world.

VR’s growing use cases in healthcare have successfully penetrated the industry.

Next to Virtual Reality, wearable app development and devices in healthcare is another element that holds the potential to change the healthcare domain. Let us throw some light on the applications and benefits of wearables in the healthcare industry.

Applications and Benefits of Wearable Technology in Healthcare Business

With billions of investments made in VR in healthcare, businesses are now planning to increase the number of sensors present in the wearables in the coming years. This will help them track and then take responsive monitored action, depending on the user’s conditions. Here are some ways wearable health tech is marking its presence in the medical industry.

Health Monitoring

Wearable tech in healthcare has become an essential tool for monitoring patient health. Modern medical-grade wearables not only track vital signs but also assist in managing and rehabilitating chronic conditions. By providing continuous, real-time health data, these devices enable early detection and prompt medical action. 

Features such as personalized alerts and integrated health management plans boost patient engagement and adherence, enhancing overall treatment effectiveness. Also, the integration of wearables with digital health platforms facilitates comprehensive, data-driven healthcare decisions.

Post-Operative Care

Body sensors have emerged as one of the largest health wearable devices’ categories of the coming time. By being placed inside or on the body, they can help track a number of conditions like blood pressure, heart functioning, gastric stimulation, etc.

Whether inside the body or out, the applications of wearables in healthcare have become a medium for doctors to keep track of and check their patients when needed. When connected with an integrated mobile app, patients themselves can keep track of their body temperature, heart rate, and even stress level.

Until you connect the wearables to the device that is viewed and used all the time, you will not be able to monitor what your vitals are showing you.

And even then, what do you do with that information? Now that you have a set of data that you have generated from all your wearable devices, what next?

Monitoring key metrics presented by patients’ wearable devices is not enough. Doctors will also need a platform where they can store and analyze all the collected data. These generated data when mixed with AI can benefit patients and healthcare providers in a number of ways.

Improved Sleep Analysis

By tracking motions, sleep cycles, and even breathing patterns connected to sleep, wearable technology has the potential to offer comprehensive sleep analysis. This information is useful in diagnosing disorders such as insomnia or apnea and developing individualized sleep improvement plans. 

Additionally, a few wearables provide advice on how to improve sleep hygiene and insights into the characteristics of restorative sleep, such as REM and deep sleep phases. Integrating with lifestyle data enables a thorough strategy to enhance general sleep health.

Data Analytics and AI Integration

Collecting data from wearables is only part of the equation; effective healthcare management requires a thorough analysis of this data. Data analytics platforms are crucial for organizing and interpreting the information gathered from wearable devices. By integrating AI, these platforms can generate actionable insights and recommendations, enhancing patient care and decision-making. 

AI can uncover patterns and relationships within the data that might not be immediately visible, leading to more precise predictions and tailored treatment plans. Moreover, real-time data analysis facilitates prompt interventions and adaptive modifications to healthcare approaches.

Technology Assistive for Disabilities

Wearable technology and virtual reality in healthcare are currently being improvised to enhance communication or mobility for people with disabilities. Wearable exoskeletons, for instance, can help people with mobility problems move around, while smart gloves can convert sign language into speech or text. 

Also, wearable technology with sensory feedback can improve environment navigation for people who are blind or visually impaired. Innovations like brain-computer interfaces are being investigated to allow direct control of assistive equipment through neural impulses, further improving independence and quality of life.

Smart Drug Delivery Systems

Smart medicine delivery systems that provide medication based on real-time data are becoming increasingly common in wearables. In reaction to variations in biometric signals, such as blood glucose levels, these devices can automatically modify dosages or release drugs, minimizing the need for manual intervention. 

They can also give patients and medical professionals immediate feedback regarding medication effectiveness and adherence. These systems also improve overall medication management by ongoing monitoring and modifications, enabling tailored treatment plans by interfacing with health management platforms.

Remote Assistance for Mental Health

Through linked apps, wearables intended to monitor mental health indicators like emotional stress or mood swings can offer real-time support. These devices can link users to therapists for virtual consultations or provide instant access to mental health services. They can also follow changes in stress levels or emotional states over time to assess the efficacy of treatment therapies. 

Integration with AI-driven platforms can provide personalized coping mechanisms and behavioral insights, improving mental health support and management. In addition, if crucial mental health thresholds are crossed, these wearables can send out alerts or notifications in time for prompt intervention.

Also Read: AI in Mental Health – Use Cases, Opportunities, Challenges

Mitigating Challenges in VR and Wearable Technology Adoption

Integrating wearable technology and virtual reality in healthcare presents various challenges, but there are effective solutions to address these issues. By tackling these challenges head-on, healthcare providers can unlock the full potential of these technologies, leading to improved patient care and enhanced operational efficiency.

Patient Accessibility

Not all patients may have the means or willingness to use advanced VR and wearable technologies, potentially creating disparities in access.

Solution: Get your devices and applications built with accessibility in mind, ensuring they are user-friendly and adaptable to different needs. Provide alternative solutions and support for patients who may face difficulties, ensuring equitable access to the benefits of these technologies.

Adherence to Regulatory Compliance

Navigating the diverse and evolving regulatory landscape for wearable and virtual reality in healthcare can be challenging, especially across different regions.

Solution: Work with legal and regulatory experts to stay informed about relevant regulations and compliance requirements. Regularly review and update practices to ensure adherence to current standards and guidelines, facilitating smoother regulatory approval processes.

Also Read: A Complete Guide to Healthcare Compliances

Integration with Existing Systems

Incorporating new VR and wearable technologies into established healthcare systems can be complex and may require significant adjustments.

Solution: Utilize standardized communication protocols and application programming interfaces (APIs) to facilitate smoother integration. Investing in middleware solutions can also help bridge gaps between new technologies and existing systems, ensuring better compatibility.

Technical Reliability

The performance of VR and wearable devices can be affected by technical issues, impacting their reliability and effectiveness.

Solution: Regular maintenance and software updates are essential to ensure devices operate optimally. Establishing a robust quality assurance process and providing technical support can help address and resolve any reliability issues promptly.

Envisioning Healthcare’s Future With VR and Wearable Innovations

The future of healthcare is poised for transformative change with the rapid advancement of VR and wearable technology. As demand grows for timely, personalized, and cost-effective medical solutions, these technologies are set to revolutionize the industry. Wearables and virtual reality in healthcare are currently enhancing everything, from physical training and telesurgery to real-time diagnostics and patient care. 

By integrating sophisticated data analytics, these innovations turn complex 3D content into actionable insights, making medical practices more efficient and accurate. The synergy of VR and wearables promises to drive significant advancements in healthcare education, treatment, and overall patient outcomes, shaping a strong future of wearable technology in healthcare.

Also Read: Top Healthcare Trends to Leverage in 2024

How can Appinventiv Help Your Healthcare Business with VR and Wearables? 

As a leading healthcare app development company, Appinventiv excels in delivering cutting-edge healthcare solutions to leading fitness and healthcare brands. Our expertise spans a range of innovative technologies, including mHealth apps, EHR systems, telehealth platforms, and medical insurance solutions. By leveraging our capabilities in VR applications and health wearables, we can transform your healthcare business, enhancing patient care and operational efficiency. 

Whether you’re interested in advanced lifestyle tracking, seamless software integration, or pioneering VR applications in healthcare, we, as a trusted wearables and AR VR development company, are ready to help you harness these technologies to transform your healthcare offerings. Contact us to explore how virtual reality in healthcare works and how it can drive your business forward.

FAQs

Q. What is the role of VR technology in healthcare?

A. VR technology plays a vital role in the healthcare industry by offering immersive training environments where medical professionals can practice surgeries and complex procedures safely. It also aids in patient care through virtual therapies for managing phobias, pain, and rehabilitation. Additionally, VR enhances patient understanding and involvement by providing interactive experiences to learn about medical conditions and treatments.

Q. Explain the impact of wearable technology in healthcare.

A. Wearable technology profoundly influences healthcare by enabling continuous tracking of vital health metrics, such as heart rate, glucose levels, and sleep patterns. These devices deliver real-time data, facilitating early detection of health issues, tailored treatments, and more efficient management of chronic conditions.

Virtual reality for healthcare, when combined with data analytics platforms and wearables, enhances patient engagement, facilitates remote monitoring, and improves overall care quality. This technology fosters proactive and preventive healthcare strategies, ultimately resulting in improved health outcomes and reduced healthcare costs.

Q. What are some of the most important types of wearable technology in healthcare?

A. Key types of wearable technology in healthcare encompass:

Fitness Trackers: These devices track physical activity, heart rate, and sleep patterns, assisting users in managing their fitness and overall health.

Smartwatches: These advanced wearables provide extensive health monitoring features, including ECG, blood oxygen levels, and stress management tools.

Medical-Grade Wearables: Specialized devices designed for specific medical applications, such as continuous glucose monitors for diabetes control or wearable ECG monitors for cardiovascular health.

Wearable Sensors: Devices either embedded in clothing or attached to the body that measure physiological parameters like blood pressure, body temperature, or respiratory rate.

Assistive Wearables: Technologies such as exoskeletons and smart gloves that support individuals with disabilities in improving movement or communication.

Q. What is the future of VR and wearables in healthcare?

A. The future of VR and wearables in healthcare looks incredibly promising. VR is set to change the game in medical training by providing immersive simulations and virtual surgeries. It will also enhance patient care with virtual therapy and improve pain management. 

Wearables are advancing, too, with better sensors and AI integration that will allow for more accurate monitoring and personalized treatments. Combining wearables and virtual reality in healthcare could lead to innovative solutions for rehab, mental health support, and managing chronic conditions, creating a more connected and effective healthcare system.

Q. What are some of the top examples of wearable technology in healthcare?

A. Some of the top wearable devices in healthcare examples encompass the following:

• Continuous glucose monitors
• Smart medical patches
• ECG monitors
• Wearable blood pressure monitors
• Smart clothing
• Fitness trackers
• Smartwatches
• Sleep trackers
• Wearable oxygen monitors
• Smart hearing aids

THE AUTHOR

Amardeep Rawat

Co-Founder and Director